Winemaker Susana Balbo with the concrete fermenters at her eponymous winery

Susana Balbo was the first woman in Argentina to earn a degree in enology. After 18 years working at Argentinian wineries such as Michel Torino, Martins and Catena Zapata, she founded her own label in 1999. Centered in Luján de Cuyo in Mendoza, the focus is on quality. That includes manual harvesting, careful handling and a state-of-the-art winery where she applies stainless steel, concrete and French oak barrels as dictated by the fruit.

Susana Balbo Wines includes four brands: Crios, Susana Balbo, Nosotros and Benmarco. In addition to managing her own winery, she consults elsewhere in South America, as well as in Europe, the United States and Australia.

2014 Susana Balbo Crios Torrontes Argentina 88pts 13.9% 750ml screwcap $15
100% Torrontes from Cafayate in Salta and Uco Valley in Mendoza. Three months on lees for texture. Aromatic with jasmine, rose petal, and lemon-lime. Medium+ body and silky in the mouth with flavors of tangerine. Juicy finish with tangerine pith and floral spice. Enjoy with roast chicken panzanella salad or halibut with fruit salsa.

2014 Susana Balbo Crios Malbec Mendoza Argentina 89pts 13.9% 750ml screwcap $15
95% Malbec, 5% Bonarda from Mendoza’s Uco Valley. The wine spent 9 months in 100% French oak. A very good, easy drinking wine for summer grilling. Aromas and flavors of crushed blueberries, huckleberries and blackberries with accents of dark spice and charred meat. Medium+ body with very fine, chalky texture.

2012 Susana Balbo “Brioso” Agrelo, Mendoza, Argentina 93pts 14.5% 750ml $45
Cabernet Sauvignon 50%, Malbec 20%, Cabernet Franc 20%, Petit Verdot 10%. 15 months in 100% new French oak barrels. Tightly woven aromas of spice, black cherry, dark berries and black plum lead to a rich, juicy palate with medium+ body and plenty of fine, chalky texture. Decant or let it gain complexity for several years in bottle. It gets better and better with air.

Copyright Fred Swan 2016. Photo courtesy of Susana Balbo Wines. All rights reserved.